Everything was in place and storyline from young-uns to vets were featured greatly. You could tell that producers/etc. cared about the show.

That's the sense I get when I rewatch anything from back in the 80s or early 90s. Story arcs were planned out in advance and you always got little hints of the next s/l as one arc was drawing to a close. Now it feels too much like they're flying by the seat of their pants and catering to the whims of viewers.